Nearly every tool is designed with compromises. In some cases, the compromise is made to increase the ease of production (and therefore lower cost). Other times, the compromise is made to make the tool more appealing to a broader audience. After using a tool for a while, these compromises become very clear. You'll think, "I … Continue reading Good Tools Work for You, Not Against You

Fascinated with the form of the tripot, and interested to see what was involved in making one, I started my own. I couldn't think of a better way to understand and appreciate it than to make one myself. In my first two articles about making my tripot, I showed how I shaped most of the … Continue reading My Tripot: Final Cleanup

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Fascinated with the form of the tripot, and interested to see what was involved in making one, I have started my own. I couldn't think of a better way to understand and appreciate it than to make one myself. In my first article about making my tripot, I showed how I shaped most of the … Continue reading My Tripot: Turning the Base

Fascinated with the form of the tripot, and interested to see what was involved in making one, I have started my own. I couldn't think of a better way to understand and appreciate it than to make one myself. Loosely following an article in Woodwork by Hugh McKay on his process of making a pentapot … Continue reading My Tripot: Shaping the Exterior

In all the creative work I have done with live-edge material, I have always looked at a cut section - where a limb was removed or the material cut to length - as a shortcoming. But recently, I had an epiphany. Like so many of my revelations, this one came while experimenting on a piece … Continue reading Defects Are Hints For Something Better

Anytime I go somewhere and anticipate the possibility of having some free time, I like to have a knife with me to carve. My First Modified Carving Knife I started with a German #8 chip carving knife with a fixed blade. I modified the blade to extend the cutting edge right to the handle, and … Continue reading Woodworking On-the-Go with Modified Knives

What Do I Mean By "Woodworking Digitally"? First, let me define digital. I don’t exclusively mean the use of measuring tools with LCD screens. I mean the use of any numbers at all, whether Metric or Imperial, decimals or fractions. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary: digital: of, relating to, or using calculation by numerical methods … Continue reading Woodworking Digitally is More Convenient, But Not Better

Since moving into our new house last year, I have hung dozens of pictures and shelves. Okay, maybe not dozens, but very likely a dozen. Every time, the challenges are the same: what is the best location, where are the studs, and is it level? While not immediately obvious, we always do reach a consensus … Continue reading Mounting Shelves and Pictures on Walls

It can be a challenge to work efficiently in a small shop, but I have arranged the equipment in the space of a 1-car garage to allow me to build with components up to five feet in length without having to rearrange. In fact, the only machine that is on wheels is my 13" thickness … Continue reading Working Efficiently in a Small Shop

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